Full Format. Maximum (almost!) Moodie. Magnificent Meeting!

I do like Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!  

It is my favourite track, the racing is always good there, the facilities aren't bad, I can always the see the action. So this is gonna be a VERY good year for me. A great track for the World, home comforts, no strange speaking locals, a decent pint that I know. Face it, the meetings so far up the line have been, a little lacklustre, lacking in drivers and general apathy! The weather forecasting neighsayers said it would be cold and wet, however it was not so!
So with a smug grin, with a glorious early spring sunshine awaking me through my window. Pensilva (half a mile up the road) was white. Dobwalls (8 miles) was grey and cold, as Lampy Cabs took me up to Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final! The opening meeting is often a bellweather on what kind of season you are going to have, and from the initial hype generated by the Purple People, entries flirted with near 50 mark. One of those entries was a surprise, possibly lost, was one G Moodie Esq (7), who'd come along to play...

Checking Twitter (whilst not driving, remember texting and driving kills, kids) on the way up the A30, I receieved a few tweets from people crossing East to West along the A303 to Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final! As the likes of Lively Linfield and recent stunt twitterman Ritchie Mead (596) passed Stonehenge...in blizzard conditions, that Buxton would call light sleet. Thankfully as those coming from the west reached Exeter Airport, we were greeted with a glorious sunshine filled sky.

Indeed Mr Mead was a recipient of a Jho Stoxblog sticker, which were distributed in their glorious goodness to all and sundry, to the point that the batch I've got, has all but one left, ready for distribution at Sheffield next weekend.

So with 40 cars in the pits, and a full format being run, with Autospeed continuing the tradition of the final being the busiest race of the day, and we were going to be treated to a 30 car final, with a 10-10-10 format of qualifiers. Whilst applauding said move from my anorak ridden spot on the back bank of Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final! !

Opening heat time.... James Horwell(602) sped away. Looked the part in the ex Bradbury higman. He had been gradually getting into the formula for the past couple of seasons. Part of a racing family who have had success in Stock Rods, Bangerstox and mostly Saloon Stock Cars. His performances have been gradually been getting better in his all too infrequent appearances in the past, so it a pleasant surprise to have the 602 car collected the chequered for the first time. Chris Bradbury (886) was a distant second

Just before, kissy kissy!

Whereas a white top took a flag to flag, the whites out front in heat 2 weren't so lucky. Plenty of yellow flags saw Mr Moodie (7) look imperious and sped away into the distance. Both Neil Hooper (676) and Adam Rubery (700) were a considerable distance behind. Meanwhile, the new king of Chaos, Dangerous Dale Moon (302) was given a large sticker to put on his nerf plate, on the provisio that it would get good exposure as he's always in an accident.... that he did as joined Ryan Hoskin (991) in a romantic clinch on the Honiton Bend... As is the ridiculous tradition of Lively, when Moodie wins, is it "Scotland the Brave" or the "Gay Gordon", but its something Scottish and annoying. What about a bit of the Proclaimers, or a spot of Runrig. And why stop it there, "Please Don't Go"from the steward to Mr 886. "Floral Dance" for St Agnes Silver Band trumpeter Liam Rowe (605) and "Combine Harvester" for Andrew Bennett (830). Better music is required at Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!

A consolation.... remember them..... was to follow. Mostly comprising yellows, blue and sole red top, fresh from going on the piste again (makes a change he's usually on the piss) Liam Rowe (605), who stormed through a took a win from Semtex Sansom (352). His first for sometime at Smeatharpe Stadium, the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!

30 cars on track. Final time, and all eyes at the back, it was Tom Clark (575) fresh from an impressive debut at St Day who led them away. Led them away so well, that he was tacking onto the back of the reds. Over took Bill Batten (167) and was setting about Jack Aldridge (921) when yellows came out. A clear half a lap lead from him and any potential suitors to his crown were way down the highstreet. On the restart, lead eroded, and with Sansom for company. Indeed Sansom took up the running, as the charging Moodie came through. Every start and restart he'd push through the field, pushing cars to the side, like snow being ploughed near Buxton. Love him or hate him, in a Justin Bieber style, Moodie is one of the best starters in Brisca, and this played to his advantage. However as the boards came out, those with the knowledge, knew that Sansom is no lover of reputation. He will stop you as best as he can, just ask Speak, Farrell, Gilbert et al who brushed amongst. So when faced with the 7 machine bearing down. Sammo stood on the brakes, almost causing the 7 car to half spin. With the field now bunched up behind, Moodie moved Sansom wide causing the train to follow, including a lapped Nathan Maidment (935) who spectularly hit a marker tyre, courtesy of said Mr Sansom. Out come the yellows with one to go, and over goes Maidment to do a "Why I Oughta" hand shake to the Plymouthian, which earnt him a Wadgey ear bash and an early bath. Fellow TART Duncan Moss (797) was also trailered by the team, for "moral support"! So with the restart it was Moodie from Sansom, from Bradbury and James Rygor (783). With not many to run too. Creeping round the Honiton bend, Moodie just slowed to a near halt, causing a breaking chain, allowing Mr Moodie to give it the beans and see the green. Moodie took the win, the same as he did at the same meeting 5 years ago, with a smash and grab raid. On the Mic with Crispen he admitted he liked Taunton as one of his favourite tracks....omnious for September... when Smeatharpe Stadium, is the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!

Choose a metaphor. It was THAT close!

Such was the dominance of Moodie in the heat and final, many people were beginning to speak of the unspeakable, a full format Moodie Max. Most Heat, Final and Handicap (still call it this, Grandad's legacy) maximum often take a yellow or two to do. This was no exception! It looked as potentially the maximum was on. A nice mix of newbies, inexperienced and plenty of blues and yellows fighting for the same bit of tarmac meant yellows were a coming, but also it meant Moodie's actual handicap was about 4 car lengths. Bradbury hit the front after Sansom led the early stages. With the lap board running down it was clear that His Gordyness was coming, and coming fast. With 3 to go it was Bradbury who had started to pull away slightly. However Moodie seemed to find a second wind and was in a last bend lunge distance. That he did, but Bradders rode it out, crossing the line, a rizla's width, a fag paper, a gnats gonad, a hair's breadth, a Newton Abbot based Stock Car Driver (sorry Eddie, Justin & Bill) between the 2 superstars. In time 0.006. Absolutely nothing....

Everyone left the track in total awe, in what was a truly magnificent meeting, just hope not peaked too soon, as Smeatharpe Stadium, is the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!


Points of Order

A very droll birthday greeting from one Lively Linfield to one J Palmer of HMP Channings Wood. You'd never hear Gus Honeybunn (btw that is Ruth "This Morning" Langsford in the back)  do that!

In fact, Mr Linfield was in a quite feisty mood, claiming that tarmac racing wasn't dead and certainly not at Taunton, that the racing in the South West was awesome, and that Birmingham was rubbish and that Cowdenbeath looked rubbish on the telly. Ok, he might not have actually said the last bit, but Steven needs to calm down, as it will be a competition to see whether me or him actually explodes first...

On St Patrick's Day, it was certainly a day for taking in plenty of the Black Stuff... Mr Moodie is incorrectly graded for a pint of Guinness. Still, at least he can have a pint of it, unlike Messrs Hoskin and Moss.

Also, speaking of PJ (979) and Duncan (797) Moss, much merriment was made of mine and dad Jeremy's chance meeting at local shop of shite, Trago Mills. Alleged rumours that we had a cup of tea and a cake were unfounded. We actually discussed the finer points of how to get to Sheffield and other such racing delights, so ner PJ and Duncan....

Did I mention that Smeatharpe Stadium, is the home of the 2013 Brisca F2 World Final!
I might be a tad giddy about the season to come, but I'm not sure...